Inspection of the learning community
surrounding Sgoil Lionacleit
Eilean Siar Council
4 November 2014
Transforming lives through learning
1. Context
Community learning and development (CLD) partners within the area of Sgoil
Loinacleit were inspected by Education Scotland during September 2014. During
the visit Education Scotland staff talked to children, young people and adults. We
worked closely with local CLD managers, CLD providers, partners, paid staff and
volunteers. We wanted to find out how well partners are improving the life chances
of people living in the community through learning, building stronger more resilient
communities and improving the quality of services and provision. We also looked at
how well paid staff and volunteers are developing their own practices and how well
partners, including schools are working together. The inspection also included a
focus on culture and sport as part of a pilot agreed with the authority.
2. How well are partners improving learning, increasing life chances,
promoting and securing wellbeing?
Almost all learners progress and achieve well. The Uist Core Learning Interests
Group provides a clear approach to planning for partners. Although most data for
CLD is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) wide, participation in youth activities and
adult literacies remains strong with good rates of retention. CLD partners would
benefit from better analysis of trends at a local level. This would help them to plan
better. Most providers set targets that are linked to the Single Outcome Agreement.
A sports membership scheme introduced by Sports Development in 2010
demonstrates a 35% increase in participation. Adults and young people report very
high levels of satisfaction and talk positively about its impact on their lives. However,
there are as yet no clear measures in place to demonstrate the health benefits of the
scheme. Participation in sports clubs is increasing. Increasing numbers of young
people are gaining accreditation through participating in The Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award scheme and Saltire Awards.
Almost all young people leaving Sgoil Lionacleit move on to a positive destination.
Include Us, a CnES wide project supporting young people to develop enterprise
skills is helping a few to set up small businesses. This is helping to sustain young
people in their community. CLD and their partners need now to more effectively
target young people with additional support needs who might benefit from services.
Community groups and organisations are increasing levels of involvement from
targeted groups. There are high levels of volunteering across Benbecula and North
and South Uist and volunteer hours contribute considerably to the local economy.
They are well supported by the Volunteer Centre. Saoghal Beag Nursery has
contributed £2.3 million to the local economy in the past ten years by providing child
care that allows parents to secure employment.
Partners provide a very good range of learning, cultural and sporting activity that
leads to positive outcomes. Across the learning community there is a strong
emphasis on inter-generational learning. The Virtual St Kilda Exhibition,
codeveloped with children from a local primary school and adult volunteers from the
North Uist Historical Society provides very good outcomes related to the four
capacities in Curriculum for Excellence. Young people achieve well through a range
of activity such as Rookie Lifeguard, Jog Scotland and athletics. Contemporary
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dance delivered by Ceolas is effectively widening access to traditional forms of
dance leading to national recognition. The Feisean (Gaelic Medium traditional music
festivals) in partnership with Ceolas help young people to achieve through the Youth
Music Initiative. There is scope to extend this through partnership working with Sgoil
Lionacleit. Increasing numbers of young people perform at the annual Mod and this
is helping to boost the Gaelic language. Others are re-engaging with Gaelic medium
through the Island Youth Project. The Hi-Fires group effectively targets young
people to develop team building and life skills. Partners could explore extending the
range of accreditation opportunities for young people.
Adult learners are gaining skills and confidence through programmes run by Ceolas.
A few are now performing regularly at local events and the annual Mod. Participants
attending the Jog Scotland group and Spinning Bikes experience positive impacts on
their health and wellbeing. The over 50’s improve their life chances through exercise
programmes and are becoming more healthy and reducing social isolation. A few
participants in fitness and exercise programmes are progressing to running
marathons and 10K events. English for Speakers of Other Languages learners gain
awards and a few progress to employment. Generations Working Together and
Scotland Creates are positively impacting on learner self esteem and confidence.
Learners in the Genealogy Group run by Urachadh Uibhist progress well to other
learning.
Community groups across the learning community are strong and sustainable.
Urachadh Uibhist, Taigh Chearsabhagh and Cothrom deliver a very good range of
programmes. Community ownership of land helps local people to become more
confident in planning for the future of the Western Isles. Almost all community
groups are well informed and appropriately linked to planning structures. The
Volunteer Centre plays an active role in helping people develop. Local community
leadership is strong in groups such as Ceolas who have a long track record of
securing investment for the Gaelic community. They have strong and effective
partnerships with other local groups such as University of the Highlands and Islands,
the Youth Music Initiative and Lews Castle College. Cothrom’s Gaelic medium
nursery is an important vehicle for supporting Gaelic culture across the islands.
Askernish Golf Club has an international reputation and boasts over 200 members.
Economic benefit to the islands is in excess of £30,000 each year.
Enterprise on the Edge enables young learners to engage in enterprise education. It
is beginning to address the de-population of Uist and Benbecula. The Re-Store
project delivered by Cothrom is sustaining employment and contributing to the local
economy. Urachadh Uibhist’s nursery provision plays a central role in developing
the local economy. Many parents are now able to sustain employment as a result.
Taigh Chearsabhagh successfully enables the local community to explore and to
take control of their Gaelic identity. Board members are now working effectively with
other partner agencies. However, many local groups expressed frustration with
community planning processes at a CnES level. Groups also worry that proposed
plans for price increases for use of council buildings will restrict further development
of services at a local level. Further awareness raising regarding the CLD Strategic
Guidance and Regulations would help groups plan better for improvement.
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3. How well are partners working together and improving the quality of
services and provision?
Partners know their community well and are focused on improving outcomes for
groups and individuals. Most learners feel involved and engaged in their learning.
Almost all partners effectively gather information from stakeholders and there is a
strong commitment to improvement. Young people are consulted about their out of
school achievements by Sgoil Lionacleit. CLD staff effectively map youth provision
and use this to plan future provision. However, there is scope for closer working
between Sgoil Lionacleit and CLD to better track skills across learning. Similarly,
there are opportunities to increase youth voice for young people so that they have a
real say in shaping future programmes. Self-evaluation is improving across the
learning community. CLD are using illuminated practice examples to identify
priorities for improvement. They are beginning to work with other local authorities to
benchmark their services although this is at an early stage. The Uist Core Learning
Interests group is making a good impact on self-evaluation and planning. They have
a good understanding of the needs of the community and are working well to
address these. Some attention should be given to increasing the awareness of
partners about the CLD Strategic Guidance and Regulations. Partners now need to
enhance the learning offer between community-led activities and Sgoil Lionacleit. It
would be helpful to have a stronger focus on planning for the Senior Phase of
Curriculum for Excellence.
Partners enjoy a good range of continuing professional development (CPD)
opportunities. Much of this is free of charge encouraging participation from a
selection of participants. There are a few examples of joint training and this could be
built on further. A few groups use technology well, for example the Virtual St Kilda
project. Some groups collaborate through social media and local radio. This could
be extended further to ensure isolated communities are fully involved. Volunteering
across the learning community is strong. It is celebrated through annual awards.
The Volunteer Centre and CLD report progress to stakeholders through regular
publications. The Western Isles NHS magazine details progress against priorities
and promotes good practice.
This inspection of learning and development in the learning community surrounding
Sgoil Lionacleit found the following key strengths.
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Strong impacts on learners leading to progression across the learning
community.
Important focus on improving life chances through a range of very effective
sports programmes.
Rich and varied cultural learning programmes leading to positive outcomes and
reductions in social isolation.
Vibrant and well organised voluntary groups.
Inter-generational learning across the learning community.
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We discussed with partners how they might continue to improve their work. This is
what we agreed with them.
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Partners should develop a more systematic analysis of performance information
that measures trends over time.
Partners should develop clear measures that demonstrate impacts in health and
wellbeing.
Partners should enhance their learning offer and help link between
community-led activities and Sgoil Lionacleit with a particular focus on planning
for the Senior Phase of Curriculum for Excellence.
All partners including Sgoil Lionacleit should engage in joint CPD and
self-evaluation to develop shared outcomes.
4. What happens at the end of the inspection?
The inspection team was able to rely on the high quality self-evaluation provided by
the learning community. Partners have a good understanding of their strengths and
areas for improvement and communities are achieving very well. As a result we
have ended the inspection process at this stage.
During the inspection, we identified an aspect of innovative practice which we would
like to explore further. As a result we will work with the learning community and
education authority in order to record and share more widely the innovative practice.
Sheila Brown
HM Inspector
4 November 2014
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Additional inspection evidence, such as details of the quality indicator evaluations,
for this learning community can be found on the Education Scotland website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/othersectors/com
munitylearninganddevelopment/SgoilLionacleitLC.asp .
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a
translation you can contact the administration team on 01506 600381.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact
us by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail:
complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to us, addressing your letter to
The Complaints Manager, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Livingston,
EH54 6GA.
Text phone users can contact us on 01506 600 236. This is a service for deaf users.
Please do not use this number for voice calls as the line will not connect you to a
member of staff.
Crown Copyright 2014.
Education Scotland
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